“I was happy with the back three [Jirah Wanoa, Junior Jimmy and Kaden Manderson] and with a lot of the things we did on the ball,” he said.
“It’s the off-the-ball stuff we need to look at.
“Our play through the midfield and from the back is getting towards where we want to be, but I think we need to be working harder defensively higher up the pitch.”
Against Whanganui, Thistle looked vulnerable on the flanks, particularly in the second half.
Wingers Tre DeJohn and Jordan Gilmore cut a swathe through Thistle’s defences and Whanganui came close to scoring several times when the game was in the balance.
Flank players have a demanding role in countering such threats. They need the game sense to be aware of danger and the fitness to do something about it.
“The flank positions ask a lot of players,” Cramer said.
“Their fitness has to be on point.”
He has almost everyone healthy and fit, but is still waiting to have his first-choice squad of 16 available for match day.
New Plymouth Rangers may be bottom of the table but their goals-against tally is the lowest of the bottom four teams, and less than that of fourth-placed FC Western. It’s scoring goals that is causing them problems.
They have four from five games.
- Kick-off at Childers Road Reserve is 12.30pm.
